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Very good looking people

Apparel runs in his blood. Daniel Lieberman, a fourth-generation apparel entrepreneur, left his suit and tie job at in June 2012 to follow the calling that many others in his family had already set out to do. Lieberman left New York City and moved to Montreal, where he joined the ranks of the 60-year-old family business, specializing in private-label clothing. The company he started, Cory Vines, is the closest thing on the market I’ve seen to a company like Warby Parker for activewear. Cory Vines is aiming to be the go-to lifestyle brand which brings people beyond the gym, creating activewear for every-wear.

Cory Vines has found a gap in the market and is trying to corner the niche market of moderately-priced sportswear. It is difficult to find active wear with the quality of Lululemon at affordable prices. Echoing the Warby Parker model of cutting out the middleman and creating a great quality-to-price ratio activewear brand in the market, Cory Vines has solved exactly that problem and has the potential to drive this new market.

I went to college with Daniel and when I heard he was working on a startup, I immediately checked out his website. I ordered the Everyday Tee in shadow (i.e. grey) for $30 and the Essential Long-Sleeve in azure (light blue) for $35. They arrived in only a few days and the moment I touched the shirt, I could tell it was different. The shirts were soft and light, but were coupled with a “subtle” stretch for ease of movement.

As I mentioned previously, I am using DietBet to lose weight, and have started using long-sleeved shirt for my routine SoulCycle class. I had a great workout and was impressed by the breathability, so I have decided to use it for all my workouts going forward (yes, I’ll be investing in more shirts).

I had the chance to catch up with Daniel Lieberman, the founder and CEO of Cory Vines, and chat about how they are approaching disrupting the traditional retail channels, what it's like to be referred to as the potential Warby Parker of activewear and where the future of all this is going.

Alex Taub (AT): What led you to start Cory Vines?

Daniel Lieberman (DL): My family has been in the apparel industry for more than 60 years, so I have always been sensitive to trends in the marketplace. When I couldn't find a high-quality workout shirt at an accessible price-point, I was able to identify a gap in the market and began thinking how I could solve it. Shirts in the $25-$35 price range are usually 100% polyester, and anything using a blend of materials, such as nylon, polyester, or spandex is typically priced at about $55 or more (for instance, an activewear top for men at Lululemon is $68). With this in mind, I set out to create a business that cut the costs of traditional retail by going online-only in order to provide high-quality pieces at a fair price point. From there, I decided to develop my concept by creating a fitness brand that catered to a digitally-connected 'Gen Y' consumer that was interested in quality over quantity.

AT: I have heard a few people refer to Cory Vines as the Warby Parker for activewear – Warby Parker is going after Luxottica – who is Cory Vines going after?

DL: That is quite humbling as I am impressed with what Warby Parker has done and they are definitely a company I look up to.

Although our primary focus is to create activewear, we liken ourselves to a lifestyle brand that is trying to forge a unique path in its own category. With that being said, our target is to disrupt markets such as Lululemon, which has created a cult around high-quality leggings at a premium price point.

However, we have recognized that it is possible to create a variety of exceptional pieces at an accessible price point.

AT: Any plans to expand the collection? What are you looking to put out next?

DL: We will be featuring a number of different items, such as leggings, shorts, and after-workout items, in the coming collections. Our goal is to provide customers with essential activewear pieces that empower people's active lives.

AT: Why the name Cory Vines?

DL: We like the way it sounds. Like a town we want to visit. Like a coffee shop we can’t get enough of. Like someone we had a crush on in college. It was inspired by the Kauri tree, a stately tree that grows in New Zealand. And though all trees are a thing of beauty, there was something about the strength and balance of the Kauri that really stuck with us.

AT: What’s the most challenging part about starting an apparel company?

DL: The biggest hurdle about starting an online-only brand is cash-flow. We're required to hold inventory, and we can never be sure when that inventory will turn into purchases. In traditional retail, you get an order from a retailer and fill that order, whereas in our case, we are purchasing inventory and we don't know when it's going to move. We're currently experimenting with different distribution strategies to bridge this gap.

AT: Has your finance/accounting background helped you with starting a company?

DL: My background in finance and accounting has definitely helped me with regards to budgeting and projections and my corporate experience has really taught me how to be disciplined and execute the task at hand. But the truth is there is nothing like starting a company. It has been the hardest thing I have done in my professional career. There is not much you can do to prepare yourself. The most important thing is to be optimistic and mentally tough when challenges arrive.

AT: What does the future of activewear look like?

DL: The future of activewear will be in the evolution of the "quantified self." We will see companies like Nike and (as well as start-ups) create and innovate apparel that can track your progress, improve your workouts, and help you target your goals (think of the technology of Nike FuelBand integrated and embedded into clothing). We aren't going after that market at the moment, as we want to focus on being a lifestyle brand and hitting critical mass.

AT: How does Cory Vines stay ahead?

DL: Right now, we are a team of four, which allows us to make decisions quickly based on data and metrics. We try to adjust our strategies in accordance with how people are using our product. It’s a highly-competitive market but we’re doing our best to be David against the Goliaths of the marketplace.